Germany wants to set up a state fund to prevent important companies from falling into foreign hands. Government sources have told Reuters news agency that. In the event of unwelcome acquisitions, the fund should purchase shares together with companies.
Such a fund was first proposed last month by Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier. He wanted a more protective policy for industry in particular. Legislation is now being worked on so that the state fund can be active at the end of this year.
The German step is a response to Chinese state-owned companies that increasingly invest in crucial sectors. The acquisition of robot maker Kuka in 2016 was an alarm for Germany. This week, at a summit in Brussels, European leaders are also discussing ways to curb investment by Chinese companies.